How much to charge for whitelisting? It’s just like the pricing of a very rare, limited version collectible. The value depends on how rare and in demand the item may be within the market.
Think of a whitelisting as a form of digital passport to enter into one of these online communities everybody is speaking about. It is not about access; it’s a question of exclusivity. The more exclusive the community, the greater the demand, and the more one can charge for it.
Remember, it’s not about the fact that it’s exclusive. It is about what sort of value you are providing. Are you going to do something that is going to make a big improvement in how visible and engaging your client is? Then you can charge a premium.
Let’s discuss how you can set the best pricing for your whitelisting services.
What is Whitelisting in Social Media terms?
Before getting to dollars and cents, let’s clarify what Whitelisting is.
Whitelisting on social media simply means a brand or advertiser takes your content—usually in the form of a post or video—and runs ads through your account. It kind of feels like letting someone else drive your car—you own it, but they pay you to.
Whitelisting, for those not familiar with the term, provides brands with a more authentic way of reaching potential customers through both your credibility and voice.
You get paid; your content gets a wider reach. Win-win—if you price it right.
How Much to Charge for Whitelisting
So, how much should one charge for whitelisting? It is not a one-size-fits-all answer, certainly but here’s a formula that will help you on your way:
Base Rate: Take the rate you normally charge for developing sponsored content as your base. This is your fallback.
Usage Fee: Add a percentage of this base rate as the usage fee. This could be anywhere from 20% to 50%, depending on the duration and extent of whitelisting.
Reach and Engagement Multiplier: If you have an audience with high engagement rates or a huge following, charge more. Use your average engagement rate as a multiplier to increase your fee.
Brand Budget: Lastly, look at the budget of the brand. Bigger brands usually have deeper pockets, so don’t be afraid to negotiate higher.
Think about it this way: when somebody’s renting your spare room on Airbnb, you’re not going to charge the same price for a weekend as for a month-long stay, are you?
The more time-extensive and intensive the brand is with using your content, the more you should charge them.
Say you charge $500 for a sponsored post. If a brand wants to whitelist that content for a month, you might add a 30% usage fee ($150) and multiply the total by 1.5 if you have an above-average engagement rate. That brings your total fee to $975.
Keep in mind that this is just the starting point. Negotiate for more, most especially if the brand is well-established or if the campaign is prone to bring in great revenue.
Negotiating Whitelisting Contracts
Negotiation really is your best friend in whitelisting. Brands can come to you with a flat rate, but you don’t have to take the first offer.
Rather, think of what this campaign is going to do for your brand long-term. Is this something that aligns with your values? Something your audience will resonate with? This is your social media presence and personal brand. You should protect it like any other good asset.
Also, make sure to get into details: How long the whitelisting will last, on which platforms the campaign is going to go live, and whether there are any exclusivity clauses involved.
If it’s a brand demanding exclusivity on your content, or if their campaign is going to somehow affect your ability to work with other brands, that’s leverage you could use to ask for a higher fee.
An equitably negotiated contract not only gives you a good deal from your content but also helps in sustaining the relationship with the brand very transparently and professionally.
Knowing the Value in the Future
Whitelisting is not a one-time deal, but it can have long-term implications for your business. For example, when a brand runs ads via your content, that may raise your exposure, which in turn increases the number of followers; this might affect the perception of the brand.
If the campaign goes well, you can find many more brands knocking at your door with hopes of tapping into your audience. However, if it is not aligned well with your branding, you could feel quite the opposite of this effect and start to alienate your audience.
That is why the long-term value needs to be assessed before a price is assigned. Consider how the partnership might impact your growth as a freelancer or influencer: is it going to open doors into more lucrative areas, or is it going to pigeonhole you into some niche that isn’t aligned with your goals?
By balancing the short-term gains against the long-term strategy, one can maximize whitelisting earnings while perpetuating a strong, authentically represented brand.
Conclusion
Finally, knowing how much to charge for a whitelisting will be based on knowing your worth and on using the right kind of negotiating.
Your social media account is like prime real estate; brands are paying for a location, some exposure, and the trust you’ve built with your audience. Set your rates confidently, and don’t be afraid to raise that velvet rope for the right price.
Ready to start charging for whitelisting?
Also remember: the devil is in the details. Consider things like brand, scope of the campaign, what value you’re going to bring to the table, and now go get that bag!
